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Food and
Product Manual
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| Section 9:
Additional Wellness Guidelines |
What
we try to avoid:
1) Phthalates,
a plasticizing chemical widely found in (but not listed as an
ingredient in) synthetic fragrance (holds both scent and color). Long
banned in the EU and now in California (in toys), these chemicals act
as endocrine disruptors and may cause reproductive and
developmental harm. [1]
2)
Parabens,
found as a synthetic preservative in many products. These chemicals
have estrogenic effects (mimic estrogen) and have been found in human
breast cancer cell cultures. [2]
3) Anti-bacterials or anti-microbials
(synthetic pharmaceuticals) found in soaps, toothpastes, deodorants,
etc. These chemical ingredients act to create further
resistance
to antibiotics, a worrisome problem globally.
4) Fluoride
found in toothpaste, mouthwash, etc., is also found in tap water and
food, and as ingredient in other consumer products, as well as in
medications as Cipro and Prozac. Dozens of studies have shown positive
results connecting the common ingredient sodium fluoride with
neurotoxicity, cancer, reproductive toxicity, endocrine disruption.
[3] Our consumers will be given the choice to avoid
compounding
dosages of fluoride.
5) Artificial coloring agents.
Coal tars dyes are associated with cancers. [4] Others
coloring agents with hypertension in children. [5]
6) Non-organic, chlorine-bleached
sanitary products.
What we try to promote:
1) Products that are simpler
(fewer ingredients could mean less risks), and made with few or no
synthetics. (Ex., essential oils, xylitol as an
anti-bacterial
agent).
2)
Local
products, subject to the same scrutiny as any other
products.
3)
Products
available for bulk sales.
Reliance on
co-op staff, the Nutrition Education Committee, and co-op members in
general, to keep abreast of and inform on issues of concern, as:
1)
Products known to contain other top suspect synthetic ingredients, as,
P-phenylenediamine in hair dyes; Hydroquinone in skin lighteners;
Formaldehyde or Toluene in baby bath or nail polishes; synthetic PABA
or Padimate-O in sunscreens, and DEA. [6]
2)
The complexities regarding:
a- nanoparticles
b- suspected human carcinogenic
petrochemicals,
including 1,4-dioxane (found as a contaminant in products containing
sodium laureth and ingredients that include the terms “PEG,” “-xynol,”
“ceteareth,” “oleth” and most other ethoxylated “eth”
ingredients). [7]
Continue to Section 10:
Consumer Education Issues
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Footnotes:
(1) See footnote 2. Also, Mark Schapiro, Exposed , Chapter 3 Notes,
cite 47 different sources on phthalates.
(2) For 60 current articles on parabens and breast cancer, see
www.environmentalhealthnews.org
(3) www.cosmeticdatabase.org
(4) The Collaborative on Health and the Environment. See
http://database.healthandenvironment.org
(5)
“Food additives and hyperactive behaviour in 3-year-old and
8/9-year-old children in the community: a randomized, double-blinded,
placebo-controlled trial”, Lancet, Sept 2007
(6) http://www.thegreenguide.com/doc/122/dirtydozen
Also, www.environmentalworkinggroup.org
(7)
“Carcinogenic 1,4-Dioxane Found in Leading “Organic” Brand Personal
Care Products- USDA Certified Products Test Dioxane-Free”,
www.commondreams.org/cgi-bin/newsprint.cgi?file=/news2008 ; also,
www.organicconsumers.org/article-10918.cfm ; also, “Frequently Asked
Questions about 1,4-Dioxane”,
www.safecosmetics.org/faqs/dioxane.cfm
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